Leaked shots of the Blackberry 7130c

Is it just us, or are RIM's Blackberry devices getting svelter by the minute? The latest pictures to surface are of their unannounced 7130c phone for Cingular. The device shares the keypad ethics of the rest of the 7100 series, though it does seem to have its very own sense of style, a definite departure from the 7130e which was launched last year. The good news is that the phone seems to be trimming the bulk, with its front dominated by the screen and keypad. The bad news is that's all we know so far. We'll keep you posted.

[Via MobileWhack; thanks Jon]

[mark f @ Apr 5th 2006 2:34PM]

For some reason the case reminds me of an old Hewett-Packard scientific calculator.

[Jose @ Apr 5th 2006 2:48PM]

LOL...I think it's the bi-colored keys in the middle. I wonder when RIM or any blackberry compliant devices will finally have the capacity for memory expansion (via memory cards)?

[Saluki @ Apr 5th 2006 3:21PM]

if it has the same typing recognitions system as the 7100 then I can tell you already that it suvka, auvks, sucjs, Uh isn't good

7100 users know what I mean

[Jerome @ Apr 5th 2006 3:26PM]

svelter- (adjective) - Showing a high degree of refinement and the assurance that comes from wide social experience

[Julio @ Apr 5th 2006 3:31PM]

tra thr jetoss sicja...

It isn't that bad all the time, but when you're in a hurry it sucks.

[Jay @ Apr 5th 2006 3:33PM]

Does it play mp3s/video?

[TheBZA @ Apr 5th 2006 3:35PM]

I want it.

[mike @ Apr 5th 2006 3:49PM]

it looks like a p900 !

[TZK @ Apr 5th 2006 4:03PM]

That thing looks liks a bag of fists.

[Meave @ Apr 5th 2006 4:05PM]

Is that an ape holding that thing.....geeze look at those hands!

[Hein @ Apr 5th 2006 4:06PM]

is this supposed to be a more consumer oriented device?

[David @ Apr 5th 2006 4:45PM]

groundbreaking work Paul. truly amazing.

[Beowulf @ Apr 5th 2006 6:08PM]

I'm not buying another RIM device until they add cameras!

(How else am I supposed to easily & instantly supposed to remind myself of something?)

[Gonzalo @ Apr 5th 2006 9:33PM]

I clicked the link to Mobilewhack and as an Update this is not a picture of the Blackberry 7130c, which sucks.

[BB User @ Apr 5th 2006 10:51PM]

ATTN: RIM
give us what we want!! camera! GPS that a laptop and the phone can use. BROADBAND access threw the phone that can be used with a laptop. a memory expansion, oh and the most important part (especially for us airport travelers) entertainement!! video and MP3!! come on what is the hold up?! in japan they got phones that do all this and.... and... also receive TV!! analog only but hey.. HDTV is comming.. soooo why not. and while i am on a little bit of a rant here. make the bluetooth work for other things then just the wireless ear peice. that is all cool, but it would be so much better if it was near my desktop at home or in the office that it would just sync up wirelessly. check out 903sh it is a japanesse phone. just google it. it is an awsome phone. just wish these two would be merged together then we would have a phone we could really brag about.

[Donald @ Apr 5th 2006 11:00PM]

2: Nokia 9300 (out now) and E61 have expandable memory (MMC and miniSD respectively) and BBConnect software.

[Eion @ Apr 6th 2006 1:41AM]

"BROADBAND access threw [sic] the phone that can be used with a laptop."
The Blackberry 7250 has this, if EVDO counts as broadband - http://www.blackberryforums.com/showthread.php?p=128396#post128396

"make the bluetooth work for other things then just the wireless ear peice."
The new OS - 4.1 - reportedly fixes this (T-Mo still haven't released it though).

"GPS that a laptop and the phone can use."
A couple of the Nextel Blackberries (the 7100i and the 7520) have GPS that the phone can use, so hopefully this will happen for other networks at some point. I don't know if the GPS works with a PC, but I doubt it. That would be pretty sweet.

But please, no camera - or at least make them with or without. Some places, for example courthouses, don't let you bring cameraphones in.

[Khaytsus @ Apr 6th 2006 9:30AM]

BlackBerry caters to the professional crowd, not the hip hop bling cool toy kids.

So until they add another 'prodct line' you're not going to see a camera EVER in a business-oriented BB, and likely never see movies, mp3, etc, although they might cave to that at some point in the future.

Get a Sidekick kids.

[Beowulf @ Apr 6th 2006 3:13PM]

Treo smartphones cater to the professional crowd too, not the hip hop bling cool toy kids. Too bad styluses suck compared to trackwheels.

RIM could have added cameras to the entire 71xx line and left the full-keyboard phones without cameras. That would cater to both types of customers and increase sales. Unfortunately, not adding cameras is the same "professional" disregard that caused RIM to only enable bluetooth for headsets and keyboards (lame).

[ryan libson @ Apr 6th 2006 4:47PM]

Dang all the haters out there, blackberry does one thing well-email, if you want a device that does everything get something else. If you want a simple email solution that doesnt involve a soft reset every three days get a blackberry.

[badonkadonk @ Apr 6th 2006 6:02PM]

Beowulf - OS4.1 supports BT desktop sync as well as tethered-modem support for USB (so you can use your BB as a DUN modem through the USB cable). Eventually I'm sure RIM will support other profiles like BT DUN, maybe OBEX, but if they don't have a media player on the device, and no removable memory, then what's the point of having A2DP or other "media" profiles on the device? I could maybe see the remote control profile for use with BT-enabled in-car audio systems, and maybe printer support, but not much else. And BBs have a reputation for security, so a lot of those profiles (like remote control) might be too risky for them.

As for GPS, Camera, DVB, etc... RIMs devices also have exceptional battery life, and the more features you add in the larger the device grows (or the larger the battery, or it just sucks, whichever).
I'd predict you'd see WLAN radios in their products for UMA support before you see either GPS or a Camera. Expandable memory might also be useful, but again, without any sort of media player on the device, what's the point?

As for this thing, it looks alright, but I'd have to see it next to the 7100g or 7100t to get it in perspective (I have the 7100g so would be looking to trade up). I've played with the 8700c and it's a lot peppier than my 7100; double the Flash would be a nice addition too... will just have to wait and see.

[Mitchell Brin @ Aug 10th 2006 11:36AM]

I got the Blackberry 7130c and would like to know how to use it is a modem on my PC running XP. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,
Mitchell

[samuel fisher @ Aug 10th 2006 11:45AM]

I agree with Khaytsus, this is a business oriented phone. I have had nothing but Blackberry's and they do exactly what i need. I had a treo, it was OK, due to the early model problems i hated it. I had several Nokia's, trash, phones that cater to the young crowd.
Mostly high school & college and a few adults not able to get or use real phones. Cameras are a waste of your money unless you are someone who relies on them for business, such as investigators. Do yourselves a favor boys, it's just a phone. Forget it and find something else to focus your energy on. Your computer games or something.